


What is a heart without its soul?

by mouth_breather011



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Adorable Peter Parker, Angry Tony Stark, Angst, Because i keep adding more as i write oof, Civil War Team Iron Man, Dark Natasha Romanov, Evil Steve Rogers, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, Hurt Peter Parker, I hope?, Kidnapped Peter Parker, My First Fanfic, No Sex, No Smut, Oof i need halp, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Possessive Tony Stark, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Psychological Torture, Scared Peter Parker, Technological Errors, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Torture, not team Cap friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-06-28 16:05:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19815727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mouth_breather011/pseuds/mouth_breather011
Summary: The Rogue Avengers are on the run, left to grow in their hatred for Tony and what he's taken from them. When they are in need of funding, what better way than to use Tony's favorite thing in the world against him? It's a win-win situation. Or so they thought. Tony's love for Peter might be greater than they thought . . .





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo, welcome to my first fic! It is currently 2am for me and I am NOT OK. I mean, how does one tag, honestly? And i apologize for the crappy summary and the crappy story but please. It is the morning and my first fic so PLEASE STICK WITH ME DURING MY LONG AND PERILOUS JOURNEY AS I NAVIGATE THE UNKNOWN LAND OF AO3. I'm tired. Gimme coffee.

Tony knew something was wrong the moment he heard the scream.

He knew who made the horrific sound, too.

Tony bolted from his lab, racing down the hall. Left, right, left, right. Keep moving, don't stop. Terror bubbled throughout his body, threatening to overwhelm his soul as he pushed faster and faster.

Peter, Peter, Peter.

Another blood-curdling screech echoed through the hall as Tony turned the last corner and into the lobby of the Avengers Compound. Four figures were visible, three surrounding the smallest. He was struggling and squirming vigorously, playing a vicious game of tug-of-war as two of the perpetrators grasped his arms. The other circled them, looking like a cat in an alley waiting to pounce.

Peter, Peter, Peter.

"Stop! L-Let go of me! Tony!" The figure in the middle, Peter, was pushed onto his knees with a rough shove, and he squeaked in terror.

No longer frozen, Tony ran forward, seizing the arm of the person closest to him.

"Hey," He barked. "Let go of my kid you crazy—" The man turned around sharply, revealing two blue eyes and blond hair. He looked shocked, as though he hadn't expected to be caught kidnapping a child.

"Steve?" The man's features hardened, and he took a threatening step forward. "Tony," he said, voice cold and unforgiving. The billionaire stumbled backward, looking behind him quickly as he regained his balance.

A whimper could be heard from behind the supersoldier, and Tony stiffened when he saw Peter laying on his back, a man with long dark hair, whom he recognized to be Bucky, holding him down with a knee planted on the boy's chest and his hands pushing his shoulders to the floor.

"What are you doing with my kid, Rogers?" Tony seethed, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

"So, the man of iron finally has a heart." The billionaire turned his head, looking straight into Wanda's red-laced irises. She looked ready to kill, and Tony knew from experience not to doubt her when she gets mad.

Tony ignored her, choosing to look back at Rogers. "I see you've gathered yourself a band of merry men, Capsicle. Here to steal from the rich?" He gestured to Peter, who was looking between the two men, sobbing as tears cascaded down his cheeks. Tony felt his heart shatter slightly as he made eye contact with his child's fearful doe-brown eyes. They were going to pay for hurting his Spiderling.

"It's not really stealing. More like . . . Evening the playing field, you might say," Steve responded, looking a little hurt at Tony's accusation.

"How so? Enlighten me."

"We need funding, Stark. And we just so happen to know someone with plenty of money to spare." So that was what they were after. But how would Peter tie into all of this?

"Okay, so you need some cash. But what does this have to do with Peter?" The billionaire decided too late that he didn't want to know. "A little leverage if you're unwilling to cooperate. Though we didn't plan on you being here today, to be honest."

The super soldier held not a hint of remorse in his gaze as he stared Tony down. What had happened to the selfless man everyone knew he used to be? "Nah-ah, not having it. Hand him over," Tony said, turning his gaze to Bucky, who had remained silent. The soldier didn't budge, even as Peter gave a quick jerk, trying to throw the bigger man off of him. Bucky simply gripped the boy's shoulders and slammed him into the floor.

"Hey hey hey, no, don't make me hurt you," Tony said, striding forward and hold up his hand aiming at the soldier.

Nothing happened.

He panicked for a second, thinking maybe he wasn't thinking straight. He tried again.

Still nothing.

"FRIDAY? You with me, darling?" Tony turned around and turned to look at everyone. "What did you do?" He asked, his voice low and threatening.

"Nat," Wanda said, her voice oozing with smugness.

Tony paused for a moment, then turned around and shoved Bucky as hard as he could. The man fell aside with a grunt as Tony grabbed Peter's arms and pulled him to his feet.

The boy let out a startled yelp, and Tony could only feel pain as a powerful punch was delivered to his abdomen. The billionaire flew through the air, landing with a dull thump as he hit the wall.

With dazed eyes, he watched as poor Peter was grabbed by Steve, who quickly zip-tied his hands together and shoved a gag between his teeth, tying it in a tight knot behind the boy's head. Peter screamed and thrashed, throwing himself in Tony's direction.

"Mr. Stark! Tony, help me!" He shrieked, the gag muffling his cries. Steve gave one last tug and hoisted the boy over his shoulder, marching to the front doors. Wanda was hot on his heels, trying to knock out the teen that was fighting as best has he could to free himself. When she finally reached him, he gave one last sob before falling limp.

Horrified, Tony sat and watched, hating that there was nothing he could do to save his kid. He vowed to find Peter, no matter the cost.

"We will contact you with our demands."

Tony looked up right as Bucky punched his lights out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rogue Avengers are on the run, left to grow in their hatred for Tony and what he's taken from them. When they are in need of funding, what better way than to use Tony's favorite thing in the world against him? It's a win-win situation. Or so they thought. Tony's love for Peter might be greater than they thought . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anddd I'm BACK BABY! Another (short, sorry) chapter to add. You guys, I am soooo happy you guys like this! Honestly, I was a little hesitant to post it bc I'm a little self conscious about my writings but i am so surprised! Thank you SO MUCH for staying with me and enjoy!

Peter didn't want to feel anymore. It would be so much better to not feel anything at all, mentally or physically, as opposed to what he was feeling.

It's not fun to wake up in a dark, unknown room with a gag in his mouth and his hands tied together with vibranium zipties. He didn't even know vibranium zipties were a thing.

Oh yeah, sensory overload sucked, too.

His body clenched on the dusty concrete floor, tense and painful. Peter's brown eyes were squeezed shut, and his hands struggled to reach his ears to silence the seemingly endless noise. Every movement felt like sandpaper, wasting away at his skin and burning his insides.

Small moans and whimpers of pain escaped Peter's parched lips, and he wished he could just slip into the darkness of his mind. But no matter how close he was to the chasm of darkness, Peter was not granted the privilege of submitting to it. He just wanted to be done.

The door to his room flew open and hit the wall with a resounding clang that echoed in the small chamber. Peter flinched jerkily and let out a small scream.

"Get up," a voice commanded. "If you want to eat, get up." Peter slowly squinted his eyes, viewing the tall dark haired man, Bucky. The boy vaguely remembered fighting him at the airport in Germany.

'Woah, you have a metal arm? That's awesome! '

He stayed on the ground, curling further into himself. Peter regretted it when a strong boot was launched into his ribs. He screamed at the top of his lungs, the gag doing nothing to muffle the horrible sound.

Bucky flinched back, watching as the boy he helped kidnap sobbed on the ground, knees to his chest and small hands covering his ears. Something was wrong.

Peter listened as quick footsteps retreated from the room. Voices could be heard beyond the thick walls.

"Steve, I think something's wrong with the kid." That was Bucky.

"What do you mean, something is wrong? Does it have to do with the screaming I just heard and the sobbing I hear now?" Sobbing? Who was sobbing? Oh right, he was.

"Yeah, he has his hands over his ears and his eyes are shut. He was a little nonresponsive when I talked to him. Or at him, really."

"Then why did he scream? Did you hurt him?" His tone was apathetic and almost uncaring. That scared Peter, how little Steve cared.

"I don't think so. I nudged him in the ribs and he screamed like I jabbed him with a hot knife." Bucky didn't sound any kinder. These people were scaring Peter.

"Sensory overload," Peter heard. It was a new voice, softer and more feminine.

"How do you know, Wanda?" Steve replied, sounding curious.

"I've had them before," the voice, Wanda, said. Peter heard a hint of her Sokovian accent creep into her voice. "All your senses become overbearing, things become to loud and bright, and everything feels like sandpaper."

"Can you fix it? You know, with your red stuff or whatever, " Bucky said, referring to her powers. Peter didn't know how he felt about someone looking into his mind like that.

"I can try," she replied. More footsteps could be heard, and his three superhero kidnappers entered the concrete room.

Peter braced himself, ready for more pain. His mind barely registered the voices that were speaking in front of him as he was surrounded by a sea of red light. He felt calmness and serenity washing over him, and his senses were dulled. Peter let himself relax, and his body felt heavy. He sighed in relief, wishing the floor could just swallow him whole.

"Geez, the kid is adorable," Peter heard as his mind drifted into a semiconscious state. He wasn't adorable, he was a teenager!

"Yeah, no wonder Tony keeps him around." Tony. Tony? Tony! Mr. Stark was probably worried sick about him!

Peter shot up faster than he thought humanly possible.

"Woah, take it easy!" Wanda was crouched in front of him, her hands out in a gesture of peace.

Peter shook his head violently, attempting to speak around the gag. "Mr. Stark! Please, I need to go back, let me go!" He twisted and squirmed, his bound hands flying all over the place.

"No, stop moving," Steve said, moving to grab the boy's flailing hands. "Bucky, grab his feet!" He shouted, and the soldier moved to grab the boy's legs, which were kicking at Steve.

Peter lay on the ground panting under the hands of the two men, his eyes filling with tears as he longed for Tony's gentle embrace. He just wanted to go home. Was that too much to ask?

"We know you want to go home, but we need you to cooperate," Wanda said, as though she was reading his mind. She probably was.

"When this is all over, you can go back, but for the time being, you have a purpose to serve," Steve said, less sympathetic than Wanda. Peter's fearful gaze flitted between the two people, not at all reassured.

"When will it be over?" He tried to say.

"As soon as Stark pays up," Bucky replied coldly. Peter jerked again, and they pushed down harder, most likely adding some new bruises to his body.

"If we let go will you cooperate?" Peter just glared back. Their grip tightened impossibly more and he winced, nodding his head once.

They let go and stood up, watching to see what he would do. When nothing happened, they shared a look and left the room, slamming the door behind them. Peter flinched into the wall but remained silent.

A small hatch at the bottom of the door slid open and a tray was pushed into the room. The hatch closed sharply, and the sound of retreating footsteps filled his ears.

Peter let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding, then lifted his hands to his face, ripping the gag from his mouth. Yet another sob escaped his lips, and before he knew it, he was on the ground in a crying heap.

Tony, Tony, Tony.

He just wanted to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author likes comments. A lot. And kudos. Please. I want to hear your feedback!
> 
> Thank you for reading! Again, I will try to have the next chapter up soon, but I do not have a set date! 
> 
> Also I apologize for the short chapters but it is so much harder to type on a phone and I do not have a computer I can use at the moment, sooo. Oof, yeah, I apologize.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rogue Avengers are on the run, left to grow in their hatred for Tony and what he's taken from them. When they are in need of funding, what better way than to use Tony's favorite thing in the world against him? It's a win-win situation. Or so they thought. Tony's love for Peter might be greater than they thought . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, turns out I'm faster at writing than I thought. So you know what I have? A 3RD CHAPTER!!!!! Please hold the applause. Ok, jk it's not that great of a chapter, I just felt like writing more. Also turns out that I love writing and I love this story (and your comments!) So without further ado, I present to you, drumroll please, THE 3RD CHAPTER!

To say Tony was furious is an understatement.

By the time he came to, he was beyond mad, beyond murderous. No one. NO one is allowed to take his child from him.

Peter Parker was his, and no one was allowed to take him from Tony, away from his safe arms.

It was dark when Tony woke up, his head and spine aching. The nausea he felt made it evident that he had a concussion. When he couldn't stand up, he knew it was really bad.

He spent ten minutes sitting on the ground trying to collect himself. As soon as he was able, he stood and bolted to his lab, ready to fix FRIDAY and find Peter.

Not half an hour later, FRIDAY was rebooted and Tony began his search.

"FRI, get me the location of Peter's bracelet, please."

' "Mr. Stark, are you sure? I know it's probably really expensive." Peter hesitantly held the little gold bracelet that Tony had handed him. It was simple but fancy at the same time. A little metal bar on a chain with Peter's initials engraved on it.

"Yes, I made it specifically for you. There's a tracker in it just in case something ever happens to you," Tony said, smiling warmly at the boy's selflessness. He was too kind for this world.

"Not that anything will happen, right?" Peter said, grinning as well. "Right," Tony replied, helping the boy put the bracelet on. "Not that anything is going to happen. You like it?"

Peter held up his wrist and stared at the bracelet, happy that someone cared enough to make him something this nice.

The boy flung himself forward and into Tony's arms, who was startled but chuckled nonetheless. The billionaire wrapped his arms around the kid, putting as much love as he could into the hug. Peter hugged him tighter.

"I love it." '

Tony smiled at the fond memory, then returned his attention back to the screen in front of him.

"Sir, I cannot trace the location," FRIDAY said solemnly.

No. No, no, no, no.

The billionaire leapt to his feet, the chair he had just occupied falling to the floor with a clatter. "What do you mean you can't find it? That's not possible! Not unless . . ." Oh no.

The Rogues must have found it.

If it was possible, Tony was angered even more. How dare they barge into his home, steal his so—intern, his intern, then destroy the gift he had worked so hard to make for said intern? Not to mention how long it had taken him to gather the courage to give it to him.

Tony cursed, feeling a scream at the back of his throat. The urge to punch something, anything, was overwhelming. He clenched his teeth, sitting down and counting to ten.

He needed to be calm. For Peter.

(Peter, Peter, Peter)

Tony would find him. Iron Man would find him.

Peter wanted to cry when the Avengers noticed the bracelet around his wrist.

Of course they knew it was a tracker. They knew Tony and his habits, his urge to protect everyone he got close to.

Which used to be them. Used to.

The boy watched Bucky crush Tony's amazing gift in his metal hand.

Peter refused to let himself cry. Enough tears had been shed that day. He looked away.

"Just a precaution," Bucky said gruffly. Peter scoffed. He knew the Avengers knew the bracelet had a tracker.

Bucky glared, turning and walking back out the door. Peter hardly flinched when it slammed shut.

He just wanted to go home.

(Tony, Tony, Tony)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking around and enduring my craziness and amateur writing.
> 
> Please comment I love comments they make my day!
> 
> (Kudos are fun too!)
> 
> Again, I do not have a set date for the next chapter, and I know I got these ones out fast, but please do not EXPECT a new one every day (sorry and thank you)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rogue Avengers are on the run, left to grow in their hatred for Tony and what he's taken from them. When they are in need of funding, what better way than to use Tony's favorite thing in the world against him? It's a win-win situation. Or so they thought. Tony's love for Peter might be greater than they thought . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayy, what's up!!!!! I gots another chapter for y'all! Honestly, I write like it's going out of style (listening to Hamilton rn, sorry) Also, if you didn't notice I now have a set amount of chapters. I mapped out the rest of the story last night so ya. Enjoy!

"We've put it off for too long."

Peter woke up to yelling. It wasn't very pleasant.

"Steve, this was a horrible plan. I mean, look at the kid! Stark loves him, we're screwed!" Bucky sounded worried. And for a good reason, too, Peter thought. Knowing Tony, they were done for.

"We already committed, we need to follow through," Steve yelled. "I realize that this wasn't the best idea, but look at US! We're barely surviving as it is. This is our best shot." 

Peter felt a sliver of pity for the Rogues. They just needed a bit of support for once. But couldn't they have found another way? The room he was in wasn't exactly five star. 

"We can't be sure that Stark won't be able to track the message," Bucky said, lowering his voice.

Wanda was the one who replied. "Maybe we can't, but we know someone who can."

What? Whoever they had on their side had to be a master hacker. But no one was good enough to beat Tony Stark. Right?

"You really think she'll help?"

"Positive." For a moment there was only silence.

"Then let's get started. I'll write the message, Wanda will contact Nat. Bucky, go feed the boy," Steve commanded.

Peter scrambled back from the door just as Bucky opened the slot, muttering under his breath how he was 'stuck babysitting' and 'not what I signed up for.'

"Food," he grumbled. A tray slid in, an apple, piece of bread, and water placed neatly on it.

"Can you untie my hands so I can eat properly?" Peter said, holding up his still ziptied hands. The skin under them was raw and bleeding from hours of straining against the strong material.

"No," Bucky replied sharply, closing the slot.

"And who's Nat?" Peter yelled after him. No reply. The boy sighed. Day two and he was already cracking.

He grabbed the tray with his hands and grabbed the apple. The radiant red color reminded him of Tony's suit.

(Tony, Tony, Tony) 

He took a bite.

Tony wanted so badly to feel Steve's neck crack under his hands.

He had been searching every camera in the city when the message arrived in his email.

The document was untitled, but the billionaire knew immediately what it was about.

'For the price of one Spiderling, we kindly request a donation of $400,000,000 in cash. Please leave the donation on the front steps of the Avengers Compound, or face the consequences. You have 5 hours to reply or deny. Make the right choice.'

The demand was not impossible for Tony, but it was definitely outrageous. That much cash for one child? They must be really desperate.

"FRIDAY, trace the email back to its source." Tony hoped so badly that this would work. He couldn't afford to lose his kid.

"Sir, the email is too well encrypted. My servers cannot hack it." Tony banged his fists on the table. No, it had to work.

"Try it again," he said hoarsely. 

FRIDAY hesitated. "Sir, I would not recom—" 

"Just do it," he yelled. He settled back into his chair and held his face in his hands, wracking sobs shaking his body. "Just . . . do it. Please," he said in defeat.

"Right away, Sir." The AI sounded worried. Even with the creation of the Iron Man suit, FRIDAY was by far Tony's greatest invention yet. Her human likeness was far greater than he could have imagined.

He looked back at the screen, rereading the message. Complying had no guarantee of Peter's safety, but if he could get to him first . . .

Suddenly, he had an idea.

"FRIDAY, send a reply."

"What would you like to say?"

He paused for a moment, unsure of what he was about to do.

"No."

I'm sorry . . .

(Peter, Peter, Peter) 

"He said no." The lady who had arrived earlier, Nat, sounded furious. Peter didn't like that at all.

"Still a stubborn mule. Doesn't he know who we have?" Steve stated incredulously. 

"He does. We just have to step it up a notch," Nat said maliciously. Peter didn't like that either.

"You don't mean . . ." 

"Oh God, no," Wanda whispered. This conversation didn't seem to be ending well. Peter pressed his face closer to the metal door.

"You gotta what you gotta do."

Peter moved backward as the sound of clicking heels neared. His back hit the wall opposite just as the door creaked open.

Nat's excited face appeared in the doorway. Her hands landed on her hips as she stared at the boy critically. 

"Get your camera face on. Gonna send a little message to your dear friend Tony."

(Tony, Tony, Tony)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I WRITE YOU COMMENT. Please fulfill your part as the reader while I fulfill my part as the author. Thank you and goodnight (it's not nighttime) 
> 
> I hope to have the next chapter by tomorrow but don't expect it, as always.
> 
> ALSO if you haven't read it, go read Keep Your Enemies Close but Your Friends Closer by Lansfics7 it is super amazing!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rogue Avengers are on the run, left to grow in their hatred for Tony and what he's taken from them. When they are in need of funding, what better way than to use Tony's favorite thing in the world against him? It's a win-win situation. Or so they thought. Tony's love for Peter might be greater than they thought . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back again! This chapter is a little more gory, and a fair warning, I am not a tech genius so a lot of the info is incorrect do not quote me on it. Anyhoo, thank you guys so much for the wonderful comment! Please enjoy!

Tony waited forever for the next message to arrive.

That left plenty of time to second guess his choice.

He hoped he was right in saying that Nat was working with the three who had kidnapped Peter. Wanda had said she helped hack FRIDAY, but she hadn't been at the Compound, so maybe not?

But then again, the message required $400,000,000 which was most likely meant to be separated four ways. And Natasha Romanov was the only person he knew who could successfully hack his tech.

Then again, she was the only person he KNEW of who could. He didn't know if the Rogues had any new allies.

But he was counting on Nat being on their side, because he knew her strategy for getting what she wanted with hostages. It was risky, but it was the best shot he had.

A new message popped into his inbox.

Please be a live feed, please be a live feed, please be a live feed, Tony thought like a mantra.

He opened the link and had a little happy dance when he saw that the video was a livestream. He immediately sobered when he saw what was on it.

"Hello Stark, glad you could join us," Nat said to the camera. Peter watched from the metal chair he was situated in. They had replaced the gag and retied his hands and ankles to the arms and legs of the chairs. Sadly, they were super strength proof like the zipties.

Now that Peter thought about it, they probably knew he was Spider-Man. Whoops, cat's out of the bag now.

"We were a little disappointed in your reply to our message, so we thought we'd give you a chance to redeem yourself." Nat moved back to stand behind Peter, resting her hands on his shoulders. The boy shuddered. 

"I'm assuming you know our dear friend Peter, yes? He's gonna help us get the message through that thick skull of yours." Seemingly out of nowhere, Nat pulled out a knife and ran it across Peter's collarbone in one quick movement.

The teen flinched and bit down on the the cloth harder to keep from screaming. The pain was blinding, and white spots danced across his closed eyelids. 

"Aww, did that hurt? Don't worry, it will all be over soon. When Starky pays up," the redhead said with mock sympathy. She moved past him, hitting him on the head before walking away.

"Wanda, your turn."

Wanda looked regretfully at Peter, an apology evident in her gaze. 

Her eyes lit up red, and Peter screamed. 

Rage was a simple way to put it.

When Peter began screaming, Tony wanted to smash the screen and fly around the city on a rampage to find his kid.

No, you need to focus, he thought, taking more calming breaths. Peter needs you to focus.

(Peter, Peter, Peter) 

Though it was hard, tracing the signal of a livestream was far easier than cracking the code on that email. Tony and FRIDAY worked nonstop to find the location, scanning miles of code and numbers, searching for one mistake to exploit.

After hours of Peter screaming, threats being thrown his way, and multiple breathing exercises, Tony finally found what he'd been looking for.

The billionaire smiled.

"Bingo."

Torture sucks.

After what felt like days of being cut and bruised and broken beyond repair, Peter was ready to give up.

His throat was hoarse from screaming, the gag having fallen around his neck at one point. The gash on his collarbone throbbed and pulsed, blood still dripping on the ground. His face was discolored with bruises from multiple fists to the face, and he was almost positive that his bleeding nose was broken, along with at least half of his ribs.

Cuts and lacerations littered his body, and his blood painted his clothes and the floor beneath him. Visions of his disapproving family and dead friends filled his head. Wanda had left no fear untouched when she corrupted his mind.

He felt terrible, to say the least.

Water flowed from his bangs as Bucky pulled his head back up from the tub of water in front of him. He gasped for air, still not prepared for when the man dunked him again.

He screamed and thrashed under the surface, water filling his nose and mouth.

Ages passed, and he wasn't brought back up for air until he nearly blacked out.

"One more time?" Nat looked ready for him to go under again, but Steve and Wanda looked worried. 

"I think we should give him a break," Steve said. Nat turned and glared at him.

"We can't stop now, Stark hasn't agreed yet. I say at least one more time."

"No, do you not see the poor boy . . ." Peter stopped listening to them, instead focusing on the steady thrum that neared the building.

The boy smiled.

He whispered something under his breath.

"What did you just say?" Bucky asked. He pushed Peter closer to the surface of the water.

"You're all screwed."

His head submerged just as the wall to his right blasted to pieces.

(Tony, Tony, Tony)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, another cliffhanger. Please don't kill me.
> 
> You know what, I'm just gonna stop telling you guys not to expect a new chapter every day. I like writing too much.
> 
> 2 more chapters to go!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rogue Avengers are on the run, left to grow in their hatred for Tony and what he's taken from them. When they are in need of funding, what better way than to use Tony's favorite thing in the world against him? It's a win-win situation. Or so they thought. Tony's love for Peter might be greater than they thought . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we are nearing the end! This might be my longest chapter yet (I actually don't know) fair warning, I SUCK at writing fight scenes! I apologize, but please enjoy! Feedback is always appreciated, too.

The Renwick Smallpox Hospital. 

That was where Peter and the Rogues were.

Tony stood up and bolted off the third-floor balcony, not even waiting for his suit to finish forming around him.

"FRI, revert all power to thrusters." Iron Man shot off faster than ever before. He arrived at the abandoned hospital within 10 minutes, 20 minutes faster than expected.

The wrecked building came into view, and Tony blasted in, repulsors blazing. Natasha and Steve were turned towards each other as though they'd been arguing, and Wanda was reaching for Bucky, who knelt behind Peter. His kid was thrashing, Bucky holding his head submerged in a tub of water.

"Hello, friends."

Wanda raised her hands, her red aura glowing. She lifted a piece of large rubble and threw it at Tony with a yell. He hit it with a repulsor blast, and it crumbled. Before she could lift up another piece, Tony fired at Wanda, and she collapsed in a heap. 

Another strong figure wrapped his arms around Tony's metal neck, yanking him back. Tony regained his balance, turning around and gripping Bucky's flesh arm. The billionaire fell back to the floor, bringing the soldier down with him. Giving a hard kick, Tony flipped the man over him. The resulting thud was satisfying. 

Tony stood up quickly, rearing back to punch the man. "Ugh, I'm too old for this," Tony heard him say. He laughed, and landed the punch with a sickening crack. 

"Apparently still young enough to kidnap children, though."

Out of the corner of his eye, Tony saw Nat and Steve pulling an unconscious Peter from the tub. He charged, seeing red.

Steve, who was hovering over Nat and Peter, turned around, surprise lacing his features. Tony slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

He landed punch after punch on the man's face, all the while screaming at him. "Don't. Ever. Come near. My kid. Ever. Again," he yelled.

Steve gripped Tony's shoulders and threw him to the side. The Iron Man suit clanged as it hit the wall, leaving a sizable crack. Disoriented, the billionaire stood up as Steve grabbed his arm and whipped him across the room again.

The super soldier neared him, and Tony sent a repulsor blast his way, but the man dodged. He knelt down and ripped Tony's helmet from his face. 

"We did what we had to do," he whispered, almost to himself. He punched Tony in the face. The billionaire saw black spots danced across his vision, and thought he would pass out.

Steve must have thought the same, because he got up and walked back to where Natasha was tying Peter's hands together. The boy was still unconscious.

Seeing Peter now, the man realized how beat up and bloody he was. His body was laced with cuts and bruises, blood seeping from multiple spots on his fine skin. Peter's hair was still wet from the waterboarding. 

Tony felt a surge of adrenaline, and stood up shakily. He had to stop him before he reached Peter. He shook his head to get rid of the dizziness, and aimed his hand at Steve's back. He fired, and the man fell to the ground with a startled yell, and was unmoving on the concrete floor.

The billionaire sighed wearily, and looked back to where Peter was. Or where he was supposed to be. The boy and Natasha had disappeared.

Yelp sounded out in the hallway, and he surged forward. 

Peter coughed and spluttered, water spilling from his lips.

The ground was moving. The ground was moving?

Peter opened his eyes and looked up at his hands. They were tied together again, and Nat was gripping his wrist and dragging him through a dark hallway.

He began to squirm, trying to stop Nat from moving him and rip his hands from her grasp.

She turned and looked down at him, letting out an exasperated sigh when she saw he was awake. Peter took that chance to rip away, and he tried to stand up and get away.

"No, no, no, get back here," she whisper-yelled. Nat tackled him around his waist, and they crashed to the floor. Peter yelped, turning over to push her off. 

She grabbed his mouth, slamming his head down. She leaned forward and spoke into his ear.

"You need to shut up."

Nat pulled up and stared into his fearful eyes. Still holding a hand to Peter's face, she pulled a strip of cloth from the pocket of her leather jacket. Nat swiftly removed her hand and slipped the cloth between his teeth. Ordering him to sit up, she tied it tightly behind his head.

Peter groaned. He was tired of the gags and restraints.

A low growl sounded behind him.

"Get your filthy hands off of my kid."

Before he could turn his head around, Peter was yanked to his feet. A strong arm wrapped around his arms and stomach, and a knife was at his throat.

Standing up, Peter could see Tony in his full suit, sans the mask. The fury in his father figure's eyes made him want to cower, but it relieved him to know the anger wasn't directed at him.

Tony took another step forward, his hand raised and aimed at Nat. She took a step back, causing the boy to stumble.

"Stark. Nice of you to drop in," she said, her voice strained with the effort to hold Peter still. He winced as her arm tightened around his injured ribs.

"Let him go, Romanov." 

Romanov? As in Natasha Romanov? As in the Black Widow Natasha Romanov? How had Peter not noticed this before? It all made much more sense.

The knife inched closer to his pale throat, and Peter gulped. Tony was right there, and a stupid knife was the only thing holding him back from running into the man's arms. That, and probably the best super spy in the universe.

"I think I'd like to hold onto him for a bit. Maybe until I'm sure that I can leave unharmed." Natasha took another step back, hoisting Peter up when he nearly fell.

Tony looked straight into his eyes, and the question was implicit in his gaze. Peter nodded ever so slightly, and the billionaire returned his attention to Natasha again.

"Not a chance."

Peter threw his head back, hitting the super spy in the face. The knife fell from her hand, and he wrenched himself from her grip just as Tony shot a repulsor blast at her. She fell to the ground in a heap, and was about to get up when a weighted wire launched at her, wrapping her entire body. It lit up with blue sparks, and Natasha was out.

Peter sat on the ground gasping for breath as he watched Nat twitch. Two strong arms wrapped around him from behind, and he turned to bury his face in the fabric of his mentor's shirt. Gentle hands reached around his head, untying the gag from his mouth.

"Tony," he cried, melting into the embrace. "Tony."

"Shh, I got you, Pete," Tony whispered lovingly, carding his fingers through the boy's hair. 

"I missed you so much," Peter sobbed, not caring how childish he was acting. He felt that he deserved it after the past few days.

"I missed you too, kiddo. I nearly went crazy without my Spiderling to back me up." Peter chuckled, wiping his eyes and looking up at Tony. 

The man smiled down at him, his brown eyes filled with pride and love. His face turned to a frown when he looked at Peter.

"What's wrong?"

Peter looked around nervously, searching the hallway. He turned back to Tony. "I don't know."

The boy checked over Tony's shoulder. His eyes widened.

"Tony, look out!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, ANOTHER cliffhanger. Please don't kill me! I need to be able to write the last chapter!
> 
> Feedback, feedback, feedback. Yay.
> 
> Also, the Renwick Smallpox Hospital is an actual place in New York (I have never been to New York though) I looked up abandoned buildings in New York and thought that one looked cool, so yah.
> 
> Thank you guys so much for reading!!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rogue Avengers are on the run, left to grow in their hatred for Tony and what he's taken from them. When they are in need of funding, what better way than to use Tony's favorite thing in the world against him? It's a win-win situation. Or so they thought. Tony's love for Peter might be greater than they thought . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never fear, chapter 7 is here! And for those of you who didn't notice, I added an extra chapter because I changed things up again. And remember, I suck at writing action scenes because it is super hard. And I am an amateur writer. Enjoy!

"Tony, look out!"

Tony dodged just as a fist swung where his head had been. Peter screamed as Steve bore down on them, eyes blazing and fists flying.

The billionaire kicked Steve in the leg, and the super soldier buckled, clutching his injured knee. Tony stood up quickly, grabbing Peter and making a mad dash for the Iron Man suit that had been standing watch. Not very well, considering what just happened.

The suit formed around Tony and the pair ran away from the groaning man on the ground, turning a corner and stopping.

"Head down the hallway, to the left there is a staircase. Go downstairs, and it's a clear shot to the front door. Find a place to hide and wait for me there," Tony said urgently, panting as the two came to a stop.

"No, I can't leave you. Not when we just found each other." Peter stared determinedly into Tony's eyes, gripping his arms. Tony didn't want to leave him either, but the boy was in no way ready to fight.

"You have to, I need you safe." Peter gritted his teeth, looking down at the floor.

"Please be saf—" 

The boy was cut off by a strong hand gripping his arm, ripping him back down the hall they just came from. Tony yelled after him, and he held on Peter's arm that had extended towards him. Steve was stronger, and he wrestled the teen from Tony's grasp. Peter was thrown to the ground with a yelp, the super soldier towering over him as he scrambled back. 

"Hey! Pick on someone your own size," Tony shouted, and Steve turned with a roar, throwing himself at the metal-encased man. 

They fought back and forth, throwing punch after punch, kick after kick. They were almost perfectly matched.

"Peter, go! Get out of here!" Steve yelled and lunged for the boy backed up against the wall. Peter flinched, and Tony gripped the super soldier's shoulders, hurling him down the hall.

The billionaire turned back to Peter. "Go, now!"

He nodded numbly, standing akwardely then stumbling around the corner and down the hall like Tony said. The man watched his protege go until a body slammed into him.

Peter flew down the steps three at a time, trying to block out the sounds of the fight raging on the floor above him. His heart pounded, threatening to jump out of his chest.

The door was just up ahead, and Peter smashed through it, not bothering to try the lock. He raced across the flat land, skidding in the dirt and scrambling behind a thicket. Peter sat and panted, gasping for air. He turned and looked back at the building, seeing flashes of blue light erupt from the windows of the second floor. 

Please be okay, he thought. He clutched his aching ribs, his whole body sore now that he had nothing to do but wait. Vaguely, he wondered what happened to Bucky and Wanda. 

"I don't know where Bucky is, but I'm right here."

Tony groaned as he was thrown into yet another wall. Honestly, he was surprised the building was still intact, what with the amount blows it took.

He kicked Steve's leg out from under him as the super soldier ran at him. The man fell with a grunt, and Tony stood, delivering a swift kick to the man's ribs. Bones cracked and blood spilled, pooling on the dusty concrete floor. Tony was growing tired of this. 

"I could do this all day," Steve said, rising to his feet.

"Yeah, I know," Tony replied with annoyance. Cap was never one to give up.

Steve charged, and Tony fired his thrusters, flying further down the hall. His opponent chased him, hardly breaking a sweat. Tony turned the corner and landed, throwing his fist out and punching Steve as the man rounded the corner. Instead of falling, Steve stumbled back and grabbed Tony's wrist, flipping him over his shoulder.

Tony grunted as a firm knee planted on his chest. He watched as Steve reared back, ready to bash the billionaire's brains out. He clenched his eyes shut, waiting for the blow to strike, but it never came. His eyes opened again.

The super soldier looked just as confused as Tony felt, staring at his fist like it had done something wrong. The billionaire was shocked as he watched Steve punch himself in the face, falling backward with the amount of force it packed.

He didn't think it could get any weirder, but he was proven wrong when Steve flew. Literally, he hovered in the air. Only for a second, then he was whipped down the hall and out the closest window, yelling all the way. The sound cut out with a heavy thud, and the whole structure shook. Ouch.

"Well, that was interesting."

Tony turned, looking down the hall to where Peter stood, eyes opened wide. The billionaire smiled when he saw the boy, standing up and running his way. Tony wrapped his kid in a feirce embrace, clutching the back of his head and shoving Peter into his chest. 

"I told you to go," he reprimanded, pulling back to look Peter in the face. The teen had the decency to look guilty, biting his lip and avoiding Tony's eyes.

"Well, yeah . . . but I ran into someone." He turned around, and Tony stepped in front of Peter protectively, aiming his repulsor at Wanda, who was watching their interaction with a look of curiosity. She startled when the weapon was thrust in her face.

"No, Tony, put the arm down, she was the one who flew Steve out the window, we can trust her," Peter said, stepping out from behind Tony and trying to pull his arm down. He glanced at the boy warily, and Peter rolled his eyes. "What, you think I did it? I don't have telekinesis, you know this."

Tony finally lowered his arm, but didn't take his eyes off of Wanda. She shifted from foot to foot, fidgetting dejectedly. A new cut had formed right over her left eyebrow, and it was bruising slightly.

"That was from Peter. He wasn't very happy to see me, but I guess I deserve it," she said akwardly, chuckling a little. Tony frowned.

"Stay out of my head."

Wanda looked a little hurt, muttering a soft 'sorry.'

Tony turned and walked back to Peter, who had run to the window where Steve had disappeared. He looked slightly disgusted as he stared at the ground below.

"That's gonna hurt in the morning," Peter snickered, turning around as Tony grabbed his arm. They headed back to the staircase, Wanda watching as they left.

"Hey, where are we going? What about Wanda?" Peter looked behind them repeatedly, looking as though he wanted Wanda to come with them. Tony scoffed.

"She'll go where she needs to go, and we'll go where we need to go," Tony replied. Just because Wanda saved his life didn't mean he was going to suddenly welcome her back into his life. No, it doesn't work that way.

"Oh. Um, okay."

They walked down the stairs in silence, Tony still gripping Peter's arm tight enough to bruise. By the time the were outside, Peter couldn't stand it anymore.

"Tony, you're hurting me." Tony stopped, releasing Peter's arm. The billionaire pulled him into a hug, and the boy tentatively wrapped his arms around the older man.

"I'm so sorry," the man sniffed. "I'm so sorry for letting you get kidnapped, for getting you caught up in all of this, for being the cause of your suffering." Hot tears slipped down his cheeks, nestling in the boys brown curls. Tony gripped the boy tighter.

"No, this isn't your fault, Tony. I was suffering long before you came into my life. If anything, you made it better, you helped and protected me to the best of your ability. I don't blame you." This kid was too innocent. He had no idea what Tony had done to save him. Besides, it was all a plan to get his money. Not Peter's.

"I had to say no to their demands. I could have paid and you wouldn't have been hurt, you would be fine." 

Peter shook his head incredulously. "No, you did what you had to do to save me. You didn't know if they would follow through with their end of the bargain. Besides, you wouldn't have had to do that if they hadn't found the bracelet."

Tony nodded wordlessly, wiping his eyes discreetly before pulling out of the hug. Peter smiled up at him, and the billionaire could tell that he had being crying, too.

"You ready?" Peter nodded, and Tony slipped his arms under the boys back and legs, holding him in a bridal carry. Peter slipped his arms around the billionaire's neck, bracing for the flight. Tony smiled.

"Let's go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS NOT THE END. DO NOT WORRY. Fluff is next.
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rogue Avengers are on the run, left to grow in their hatred for Tony and what he's taken from them. When they are in need of funding, what better way than to use Tony's favorite thing in the world against him? It's a win-win situation. Or so they thought. Tony's love for Peter might be greater than they thought . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, sorry, I know it's been a couple days and I'm sorry to have kept you guys waiting. I just kinda lost my motivation to write. Then a friend sent me a pic, so just know that I wrote this chapter at 2am bc of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alexander Hamilton. I apologize if it does not live up to your expectations but I wrote this in 2hrs with a sleep-deprived mind that never works right. This chapter is my last 5 brain cells.

Peter fell asleep on the flight back to the Compound.

Tony watched him sleep for the most part, instructing FRIDAY to bring them back home.

Peter's brown curls whipped around in the wind, tickling the boy's slowly healing face. Tony smirked as he watched the boy wrinkle his nose in his sleep, letting out a soft groan as he shifted.

Too precious. He was too precious.

The billionaire was thrilled to have his kid back in his safe arms, quite literally. 

The Avengers Compound was quickly coming into view, and the suit touched down on the third floor balcony. Tony ordered it to eject, grunting as Peter's full weight was delivered to his arms. The suit sped off to the billionaire's lab, and said billionaire trailed inside after it.

"Mm . . . Tony?" Peter had begun to stir, shifting more as his feet reached to touch the ground. Tony set him down, holding the boy up when he nearly toppled over. Peter winced, clutching his ribs. They had both forgotten the boy's injuries.

"Yeah, it's me, kid. We're home," Tony replied to the sleepy child. "FRI, prep the medbay please."

"Right on it, sir."

Peter smiled when he heard the AI, happy to be back. "Hey, FRIDAY!"

If AIs could smile, Tony knew FRIDAY would be at that moment.

"Hello, Mr. Parker. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Peter sighed. Tony chuckled, leading the boy further down the hall. He pulled his arm further around Peter's shoulders, feeling his kid's arm wrap tighter around his torso.

"I think she likes you more than me," Tony joked, thinking of all the times the AI sided with Peter instead of her own creator. Peter hummed in response, nodding his head slightly.

"I'm just that lovable."

The billionaire laughed. "That you are." 

The pair continued to walk in silence, Tony still supporting the boy, and Peter with one arm around the older man and the other curling around his aching ribs.

Peter was the one to break the silence.

"So how did you find me?" He asked. "Not that I'm complaining or anything." 

Tony sighed, not really wanting to talk about it, but he didn't want to deny his kid of an answer.

"Well, I figured that Natasha was working with Steve, Bucky, and Wanda, and I know her strategy when working with hostages." Peter winced audibly, obviously reminiscing the pain he went through earlier. Tony continued. "The amount of money they wanted for you and Wanda's little hint about Nat helping hack FRIDAY also supported my theory. And the price was a little outrageous, so I knew they were desperate and ready to do what it took to earn some cash. And they livestreamed the video, which was dumb on their part. I was able to trace it easier."

Peter simply nodded, taking all the information in. Everything made more sense now. Tony sucked in a breath, waiting for Peter to start yelling at him for letting him get hurt. He was surprised, to say the least, when the boy stopped walking, throwing both arms around the billionaire.

"Thank you," the boy murmured, burying his face into Tony's shirt.

"For what? All I did was drag you into this mess and got you hurt. I risked your life so I wouldn't have to pay them when it wouldn't have put a dent in my wallet." Peter scoffed.

"We talked about this earlier. You did what you had to do, and you didn't know that they wouldn't hurt me if you paid them. You saved my life, I am eternally grateful."

"Did you just quote Toy Story?" Tony said, pulling out of the hug to stare at the boy. Peter blushed. "Maybe."

The billionaire chuckled, Peter giggling as well, and they continued on their walk to the medbay.

"I really am sorry, though," Tony said, sobering as they walked through the medbay doors 

"Aww, do you really regret saving me that much?" Peter quipped with a sly grin. Tony slapped him in the arm gently.

"Yes, I wish I could escape you forever," he replied monotonously, helping the boy settle onto one of the many gurneys.

"Never gonna happen, old man." 

"I would hope not," Tony said under his breath as he turned to grab some bandages. He knew that Peter had heard him.

"Alright! Let's get you patched up, Underoos."

Two hours, multiple bandages, and one fussy Tony later, Peter lied on a hospital bed staring at the ceiling. He had overheard Tony talking on the phone with someone named 'Ross' as they discussed what to do with the Avengers that had been left back at the Renwick Smallpox Hospital. Tony had adamantly refused to put them anywhere other than a place called the Raft.

After his rather short call, the billionaire had ordered Peter to rest. It wasn't very easy, considering that every time he closed his eyes, he saw Nat's crazed eyes, Steve and Bucky's strong hands holding him down, or the visions Wanda had forced him to see.

Hence the reason he was staring at the ceiling.

But sleep was inevitable, and eventually Peter drifted off.

'Stop! L-Let go of me! Tony!'

'Bucky, grab his feet!'

'Get your camera face on. Gonna send a little message to Stark.'

'Aww, did that hurt?'

'Wanda, your turn.'

Failure, he was a failure.

'Peter, how could you let us die?'

Tears were streaming down his face.

'This is all your fault!'

Pain flared from every blow, every kick, every punch. 

'Why would Tony ever care about you?'

Tony didn't care.

"Peter!"

A scream echoed.

"Wake up! I'm here, I'm right here."

He was shaking.

"I'm sorry for this."

A hand hit Peter's face, and he was jolted back into reality. The screaming continued.

"Shh, Pete. I've got you. Calm down." Those were Tony's arms around him, Tony's hand in his hair, Tony's words speaking to him.

The boy realized that he was the one screaming, and he clamped his mouth shut. The screams turned to muffled whimpers and sobs as Peter clutched Tony's shirt in his clenched fists.

Tony must have known that the teen was trying his hardest not to break down.

"It's okay to cry, Pete." 

With that, Peter let it all out, sobbing and grabbing at Tony, who simply pulled him into his lap and carded his hands through Peter's curls soothingly. He whispered encouraging words into the boy's ear, telling him he was safe.

They continued like this for what couldn't have been more than a few minutes, but to Peter it felt like hours.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry for letting you down," Peter rambled between gasping breaths. The billionaire rocked him back and forth, listening to every word the boy cried.

"Shh, you haven't let me down, Peter. There is nothing you could do to let me down." Gentle, calloused hands reached to caress the crying teen's face, wiping away tears and turning his head to look into Tony's brown eyes.

"I am so proud of you, and nothing will ever change that," the man said with a smile. Peter leaned into the hands, grasping Tony's wrists and closing his eyes. He took a deep breath, willing the tears to stop falling and his body to stop shaking.

Falling back into his father's arms, he melted with exhaustion. They continued to rock back and forth silently, and Peter found that there was nowhere else he would rather be.

Just as he was about to drift back of to sleep, he heard Tony whisper.

"I love you, Pete."

"Love you too, dad."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of my first fic! If you have any stories you would like to see, please tell me and I will add them to the list.
> 
> Thank you guys so much for the awesome feedback! This turned out better than I could have hoped (I set the bar really low, i was totally thinking you guys would hate this) and stick around, bc i definitely plan on writing more stories!

**Author's Note:**

> You like? Great! You no like? Comment and tell me (nicely please) how I can improve! 
> 
> Trust me, more is on the way, but I cannot promise a certain date. I will do my best though. 
> 
> Comments, kudos, concerns? (Or, even better, story suggestions? I'm all ears!)
> 
> Ok, update. It is now not 2am, so I went back and fixed my typos. You're welcome and enjoy! Gonna start on the 2nd chapter soon so stay tuned! (Haha, that kinda rhymes. I crack myself up sometimes)


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